(1) A company subject to the provisions of this Article shall have the power to purchase, take, receive, or otherwise acquire, hold, own, pledge, transfer, or otherwise dispose of its own shares, provided that it shall not purchase, either directly or indirectly, its own shares when its net assets are less than the sum of its paid-up capital, and its required surplus, any surplus arising from unrealized appreciation in value or revaluation of its assets and any surplus arising from surrender to the corporation of any of its shares, or when by so doing its net assets would be reduced below the minimum capital and surplus requirements of Section 13 hereof, and as set forth in the articles of incorporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations, a company may purchase its own shares for any of the following purposes:
         (a) eliminating fractional shares;
         (b) collecting or compromising claims of the company